Curtain mountings



Feb. 27-

A. LAMPRET CURTAIN MOUNTINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1950 INV N J flA/DREJ Lam P 7 A. LAMPRET Feb. 27, 1962 CURTAIN MOUNTINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 24, 1960 3,022,819 CURTAIN MQUN'IINGS Andrej Lampret, 113 Wolseley St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Aug. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 51,655 7 Claims. (Cl. 160-345) The invention relates to Curtain Mountings, as described in the present specification and shown in the accompanying drawings that form a part of the same.

Heretofore, various methods have been proposed for moving curtains back and forth transversely of a window frame by means of one or more pull cords, but in such cases the pull cords have depended loosely from a sheave or other device at the top of the window, with the result that they frequently have become concealed from view behind the curtain or have even become entangled in curtains made of reticulated material such as lace, and as a consequence have been difficult to locate for instant use, particularly by a person whose eyesight is impaired.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a curtain mounting and operator therefore wherein the means by which the opening and closing movements of the curtain are accomplished comprises a manually operable slide attached to a run of the pull cord and movable up and down the exterior surface of a vertical pull cord housing section mounted on the window frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curtain mounting and operating assembly embodying horizontal and vertical housing sections which are hingedlyconnected at their one ends whereby they can be folded into parallel relation for shipping.

A further object of the invention is to provide a curtain mounting and operator which can be completely fabricated in a shop or other place and folded compactly for packaging and which can be quickly unfolded and attached to a window in complete readiness for hanging the curtains therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a curtain mounting and operating member therefore which can be used with equal advantage with a single curtain adapted to be drawn completely across a window or with twocurtain sections adapted to be drawn towards one another from opposite side frames of the window. 7 "And generally the objects of the invention are to provide curtain mounting and operating apparatus of simple and sturdy construction, which will be easy to install, efficient in operation and which can be produced at reasonable cost.

* In describing the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a window showing my improved curtain hanger and operator applied to a two-section curtain, one of said sections being omitted and the window frame being foreshortened transversely.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, with the housing for the operating mechanism omitted.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one of the brackets employed to support the pull cord housing.

FIGURE 4 is a partial view in side elevation of the housing for the pull cord assembly in a partially folded condition, the fully folded parts being shown in broken lines.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the invention is shown as applied to a two-section curtain, wherein the sections, only one of which, designated by the reference 3,22,19 Patented Feb. 27, 1962 numeral 1, is shown, are adapted to be moved towards and away from the sides of the window.

The portions of the window frame with which the invention is directly concerned are the horizontal top frame part 2 and one of the vertical side frame members 3, herein shown as the right hand side.

As means to impart coincident movement in opposite directions to the curtain sections to cover or uncover the window opening I employ'an endless cord, indicated generally by the character A. This cord is so arranged as to have two horizontal runs, 4 and 5, respectively, one above the other across the top of the window and two vertical runs, 6 and 7, at the side of the window opening. In order to support this cord to provide said runs there is provided a housing consisting of a section 8 adapted to be supported in a horizontal position along the top of the wind-ow and a section 9 hinged at its top end to one end of the horizontal section 8 and adapted to depend over the face of the side 3 of the window frame.

The housing sections 8 and 9 are similar in cross section, which is rectangular, and each is constructed of sheet metal bent to provide an outer face 10, inwardly turned side walls 11 and 12 and a rear wall 13, the latter extending parallel to the window frame and terminating short of the end wall 11 so as to provide a narrow opening 1 extending lengthwise of the section. The meeting ends of the horizontal and vertical housing sections 8 and 9 are provided with substantially U-shaped brackets 15 and 16, respectively, extending endwise therefrom, one of said brackets having opposed spaced projections inwardly of the corner formed by the meeting sections overlapping projections from the other bracket and pivoted thereto by a pin 17 whereby the said sections 8 and 9 may be folded towards one another into parallel relationship when not in working position on the window. This folding relationship is shown in FIGURE 4. The brackets 15 and 16 have their outerends bevelled, as at 18, to the extent that when the sections 8 and 9 are extended in respect to one another, they will be in true right angular relation to one another.

The endless operating cord A runs over idle sheaves 19 and 20 mounted in the end of the housing section 8 farthest removed from the section 9 and in the lower end of the vertical section 9, respectively, and the cord is retained within the horizontal and vertical sections and made to follow the right angle relation of said housing sections in the erected condition of the assembly, by means of idle sheaves 21, 22 and 23;, the sheaves 21 and 22 being mounted in the brackets 15 and 16, respectively, between the runs of the cord, and the sheave 23 being mounted below the inner run of the cord, preferably on the pin 17. The sheaves are so placed and the length of the endless cord is such that when the housing sections 8 and 9 are in extended relation, the cord will be taut and the parallel runs thereof will be equally spaced at all points.

As means to support the housing sections 8 and 9 and the elements carried thereby, for-easy erection and removal, there are provided brackets 24, 25 and 26, the bracket 24 being mounted on the upper frame member 2 at the free end of section 8, the bracket 25 being mounted on the window frame at the junction of the horizontal and vertical frame parts so as to lie behind the corner formed by the junction of the housing sections 8 and 9, and the bracket 26 being secured to the vertical frame part 3 to lie behind the lower end of the housing section 9.

The brackets 24, 25 and 26 are similar in form and each has a flat-faced outwardly projecting part 27 against which the rear face of the adjacent housing section is adapted to lie in surface contact and each bracket has a peg 28 projecting from the face thereof and adapted to enter an aperture (not shown) in the rear face of the overlying part of the housing section so as to hold the housing sections suspended.

Each bracket 24, 25 and 26 has threaded into the face thereof the threaded end 29 of a locking rod which, at a point removed from the face of the bracket a distance substantially equal to the horizontal depth of the housing section adapted to overlie the bracket, is turned at right angles to the face of the bracket to provide an arm 30 adapted to be brought, by turning the threaded part of the rod in the proper direction, into position across the face of the housing section which lies against the'bracket, so as to prevent dislodgement of the said housing section. The arms 30 of the locking rods preferably have their outer end parts 31 turned outwardly to provide handles to facilitate turning the locking rods into and out of locking positions.

The lengthwise movement of the pull cord is accomplished by means of a manually operable slider, designated generally by the numeral 35, which has fixed connection with one of the vertical runs of the pull cord, and is mounted to slide on the vertical housing section, up or down, according to the required direction of movement of the pull cord.

The slider 35 comprises an elongated sheet metal strap bent at one end, as at 36, to tightly grip the inner vertical run 7 of the pull cord, from which it extends through the opening 14 between the spaced edges of the walls 11 and 13 of the vertical housing section and is bent to extend completely around the housing section without exerting gripping pressure thereagainst, so that it can be readily moved up or down the said housing section.

The curtain sections are suspended from rings in the conventional manner, the section 1 having its complement of rings, designated by the numeral 37 and the other curtain section (not shown) being suspended from rings 38 and all of these rings encircle, and ride along, the horizontal housing section 8.

It is obvious that lengthwise movement of the vertical run 7 of the endless pull cord in either direction will cause the horizontal runs of the said cord to move in opposite directions and that in order to cause the curtain section to move in opposite directions, either towards meeting engagement centrally of the window or towards the side frames of the window, it is only necessary that the innermost ring of each set of. rings which support the respective sections of curtains have fixed connection with different horizontal runs of the pull cord.

In the present showing, the innermost ring 37 of the curtain section 1 has fixed connection with the lower horizontal run of the pull cord through a suitable connector and the innermost ring 38 of the other curtain section has fixed connection with the upper horizontal run of the pull cord, so that downward movement of the slider 35 will cause a downward pull on the vertical run 7 of said cord and a pull on the lower horizontal run of the cord to draw the innermost ring 37' along the housing section 8 towards the vertical housing section 9,. while the upper horizontal run of the said cord will move in a direction away from the vertical housing section 9, so that the innermost ring 38 will be moved in the opposite direction to that taken by the said innermost ring 37 and the curtain sections will thus be moved in opposite directions .to open the curtains.

Like means are employed for attaching the innermost curtain ring 37 to the lowermost horizontal run of the pull cord and the innermost curtain ring 38 to the upper run of said cord, said means as applied for connecting the ring 37 to the lower run of the cord being shown as illustrative of such connections. Such means comprises an elongated sheet metal strap 39 compressed near one end into gripping engagement withvthe pull cord, as at 40, and having an intermediate part 41 bent upon itself to lie within the housing and having an arm 42 extended through the elongated opening 14 between the edges of the walls'll and 13 of the housing section 8 and extended into and secured to a tubular member 43 through which the ring 37 extends.

In the use of this invention the brackets 24, 25 and 26 are first attached to the window frame in the respective positions shown clearly in FIGURES 1 and 2. After rotating the locking arms 30 to move them away from the front of the brackets the pull cord housing sections 8 and 9 are then extended into right angular relationship and attached to the respective brackets by causing the pins 28 of the said brackets to be entered into suitable apertures through the rear portions of the housing sections. The housing sections may now be locked to the respective brackets by simply turning the pins 29 to bring the arms 30 across the front faces of the housing sections.

When the housing sections including the pull cord apparatus therewithin, are in position as just described and the curtain sections have been hung by means of the rings 37 and 38, the said curtain sections can be readily moved in respect to one another by simply moving the slider 35 up, or down, the vertical housing section 9, according to the direction required to cause a pull on the pull cord. When the slider is moved downwards the innermost ring 37 will go towards the vertical section 9 and the pull on the top run of the cord, to which the innermost curtain ring 38 is attached, will be in the op-- posite direction so that the curtain sections will go towards opposite side frames of the window to open the curtains. When the curtain sections are positioned adjacent the side frames of the window and it is desirable that they be moved towards, or to, meeting engagement it is simply necessary to move the slider 35 upwards on the vertical housing section 9, thus causing a downward pull on the vertical run 6 of the pull cord and so cause the horizontal runs of the cord to move in the reverse directions and so cause the curtain sections to be moved towards one another.

Due to the fact that the slider 35 is always positioned on the vertical housing section 9 it can always be located without the user having to look for it, thus giving the apparatus a decided advantage over heretofore known devices employing loosely hanging cords.

To remove the pull cord assembly from the window it is simply necessary to free the housing sections by turning the threaded rods 29 to move the arms 30 from in front of the housing sections, after which the: said sections can be withdrawn from the pins 28 and may, if desirable, be folded compactly as shown inFIGURE 4.

While I have shown and preferred form of construction and arrangements of parts. for carrying out my invention, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit. of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a curtain mounting, in combination, a window frame having a horizontal top frame part and vertical side frame parts, a pull cord housing comprising two end-- Wise connected sections, said housing having a sectipn extending along said horizontal top frame part providing a horizontal channel extending transversely of the windowand a vertical section depending downwards over one of said vertical side frame parts and providing a vertical channel registering at its zontal channel, said horizontal and vertical channels having narrow outlets lengthwise thereof, means for detachably securing said pull cord housing sections to said window frame, an endless pull cord operating within said housing throughout the length of said sections, sheave means within said pull cord housing whereby the said pull cord has upper and lower horizontal runs and outer and inner vertical runs at right angles to and providing ccntiuuations of said upper and described herein the presenttop end with said hori-- lower horizontal runs,

respectively, a curtain, a plurality of curtain rings movable along said horizontal housing section and providing the support for said curtain, means fixed to one horizontal run of said pull cord and extending through said narrow outlet in said horizontal housing section and having connection with one endmost ring of said plurality of rings whereby movement of said pull cord lengthwise will cause movement of said endmost ring along said horizontal housing section and consequently movement of said curtain in a like direction, and a manually operable slider mounted on said vertical housing section for selective movement up or down said vertical housing section, said slider having connection with one vertical run of said pull cord.

2. A curtain mounting according to claim 1, wherein said horizontal and vertical pull cord housing sections have hinged connection at their one ends whereby they may be folded into parallel relation to one another.

3. A curtain mounting according to claim 1, wherein said horizontal and vertical housing sections are provided at their meeting ends with brackets having their ends beveled to limit the relative movement of the sections to right angular relationship, said brackets being pivotally connected to allow said sections to be folded into parallel relation to one another.

4. A curtain mounting according to claim 1, in which said means for detachably securing said pull cord housing sections to said window frame comprises brackets attached to said window frame parts, respectively, said brackets having pins extending laterally therefrom adapted to enter openings in said housing sections, and locking rods threading into said brackets and having angular parts adapted for movement through rotation of said threaded parts of said locking rods to be moved across the respective faces of said pull cord housing sections.

5. A curtain mounting according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the pull cord and the one endmost and a curtain connected at one curtain ring comprises a metal strap turned at one end to tightly grip the appropriate run of the pull cord within the horizontal housing section and having an intermediate part doubled upon itself within said housing and extended outwardly through said narrow opening in said housing and having connection with said endmost ring.

6. A curtain mounting according to claim 1, wherein said slider comprises a spring metal strap folded around said vertical housing section for adjustable sliding movement thereon and having its edges terminating short of one another to provide a narrow opening lengthwise of said section.

7. A curtain mounting comprising endwise registering, pivotally connected horizontal and vertical pull cord housing sections adapted for attachment to the top horizontal and one vertical side frame, respectively, of a window, an endless pull cord operating lengthwise within said housing sections over idle sheaves mounted in the outer ends of said sections, respectively, idle sheaves positioned at the meeting ends of said horizontal and vertical housing sections providing horizontal runs and vertical runs of said pull cord equi-spaced throughout the combined length of said sections, and a manually operable slider adjustable on said vertical housing section and having fixed connection with one run of said pull cord for effecting and regulating the lengthwise movement of said pull cord, a curtain ring slidable along said horizontal housing section and having fixed connection with one horizontal runof said pull cord, of its top edges to said curtain ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 355,046 Auld Dec. 20, 1886 2,639,766 Pratt May 26, 1953 2,736,373 Truesdale Feb. 28, 1956 

